March 14, 2025 Public Comment Submissions
Submission #1
| REQUEST TO ADDRESS BOARD | |
| Select One | |
| Agenda Item | |
| Name | |
| Susan Jeffay | |
| Choose One | |
| Arizona Resident | |
| Date | |
| 03/07/2025 | |
| Subject | |
| Importance of the ASDB Agency For Deaf Children | |
| Comments | |
| I have held an Arizona Certificate for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing K-12 for 40 years and have worked at both Phoenix Day School for the Deaf (PDSD) and the Hearing Impaired program in the Peoria Unified School District , so I am qualified to give an insight as to why the PDSD/ASDB programs at both locations are imperative for the education of Arizona’s Deaf children. The school for the Deaf has unique methods and qualities I never saw in the public arena. All teachers are trained to communicate in the natural language of the Deaf which is American Sign Language: the proven bridge to English. Numerous studies have been done throughout the United States which prove that this method is more effective than how, historically, the Deaf have been taught. Many children arrive at PDSD with no sign language, no hearing aids and no communication at home. That means sign language needs to be taught in order for the student to learn English. Interpreters in the public schools are only to translate what the teacher says. Their certification does not allow them to “teach.” Therefore any child entering a public school needs to have a base language, and many do not. Those Deaf children growing up in public school had very limited language, and no depth of understanding of age appropriate concepts This was seldom true at PDSD as teachers took the time to explain things in depth, using not only ASL but lots of visual aids and hands-on activities. The segregation the Deaf child feels in a classroom of hearing children is heartbreaking. They often are alone at lunch or on the playground as no one can communicate with them. Extracurricular activities or dances at the School for the Deaf are all inclusive. Think of the conversations between athletes as they are in the locker room or field. Many Public high schools have incorporated Sign Language as a subject, but it doesn’t mean that a Deaf student will be invited to the prom. I’ve attended many graduations and proms at PDSD and I can tell you the entire school understands every word. Teachers at the schools for the Deaf are also educated in Deaf Culture which public school teachers are not. There are no Deaf teachers as role models as there have been at both ASDB/ PDSD Public school teachers are faced with a myriad of other disabilities as well as an overcrowded classroom. It is extremely difficult for teachers to make the accommodations stated in the students’ IEPs when the student needs further explanation or modifications. It may be a financial decision to close PDSD/ASDB but I beseech you to reconsider the impact it will have on the current and future Deaf students. If you really want quality of education for the Deaf students, and contributing members of society, then please vote to reinstate the schools in both Tucson and Phoenix. Sincerely, Susan Jeffay ToD/HH | |
Submission #2
| REQUEST TO ADDRESS BOARD | |
| Select One | |
| Agenda Item | |
| Name | |
| Kareina Lee | |
| Choose One | |
| Current Staff | |
| Date | |
| 03/07/2025 | |
| Subject | |
| 6.1 Contract | |
| Comments | |
| Being offered contract, however would like details to what we are being offered. | |
Submission #3
| REQUEST TO ADDRESS BOARD | |
| Select One | |
| Agenda Item | |
| Name | |
| Dan McAlees | |
| Choose One | |
| Current Staff | |
| Date | |
| 03/11/2025 | |
| Subject | |
| Budget | |
| Comments | |
| 1) Freezing of teacher positions 2) My students are MDSSI and in each of their IEP’s is states having an educator qualified for MDSSI 3) Filling positions by “placing non-qualified” individuals is against the students’ IEP | |
Submission #4
| REQUEST TO ADDRESS BOARD | |
| Select One | |
| Agenda Item | |
| Name | |
| Megan Mogan | |
| Choose One | |
| Arizona Resident | |
| Date | |
| 03/11/2025 | |
| Subject | |
| Proposed Budget Cuts Undermine and Contradict ASDB’s Strategic Plan | |
| Comments | |
| ASDB’s Strategic Plan for 2021-2026 commits to excellence in education, student development, organizational culture, and resource management. As a former staff member, I have had the privilege of working alongside leadership to uphold these pillars in years past. However, the proposed cuts to teacher stipends, salary step increases, professional development travel, and a hiring freeze directly contradict ASDB’s mission and threaten educational quality, staff morale, and student success. Pillar 1 prioritizes engagement, collaboration, and trust-building among educators, families, and stakeholders. Freezing salaries and cutting stipends undermines teacher morale, eroding trust between leadership and staff. Research consistently shows that stagnant wages and lack of professional growth opportunities lead to high attrition rates, disrupting student-teacher relationships and overall stability. Pillar 2 focuses on early language acquisition, academic achievement, and social-emotional development, all of which require qualified, well-supported teachers. Eliminating professional development and freezing hiring will prevent teachers from staying current with best practices in accessible education and assistive technology, reducing instructional quality for students who are deaf, blind, or have extensive support needs. ASDB’s Pillar 3 aims to foster a climate of continuous improvement and a diverse, thriving workforce. However, salary freezes, stipend cuts, and restricted professional development devalue staff contributions and make it harder to recruit and retain diverse, high-quality educators. The hiring freeze and stagnant wages contradict Objective 4.1, which calls for attracting and retaining the most qualified personnel. The result will be declining job satisfaction, increased attrition, and difficulty filling vacancies with skilled professionals. Pillar 4 emphasizes maximizing resources to improve student learning while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The proposed cuts represent short-term savings at the expense of long-term stability. Instead of targeting student-facing personnel, the Board must explore alternative cost-saving measures, such as: -Reducing non-essential operational expenditures (e.g., administrative and consultant contracts). -Maximizing external grant opportunities to fund specialized programs. -Reevaluating budget allocations for outside services that could be streamlined internally. ASDB’s own plan states that “every student and staff has the opportunity to grow and succeed.” Cutting teacher salaries, eliminating professional development, and freezing hiring contradict this principle. The Board must pursue fiscally responsible solutions that preserve student instruction and staff well-being. I urge the Board to uphold the commitments made in the Strategic Plan and reject budget cuts that weaken the educational experience for ASDB students and the professionals who serve them. Otherwise, as a former leader warned us prior to implementation, this strategic plan just becomes another binder on an administrator’s shelf. | |
Submission #5
| REQUEST TO ADDRESS BOARD | |
| Select One | |
| Non-Agenda Item | |
| Name | |
| Carmen Robles | |
| Choose One | |
| Arizona Resident | |
| Date | |
| 03/11/2025 | |
| Subject | |
| Elias Robles Lovato – Transportation policy radius being changed from 50 miles to 30 miles. | |
| Comments | |
| My name is Carmen Robles I am here to fight for my grandson Elias Robles Lovato. I will not accept or give up fighting for him because ASDB has a policy and changed the transportation radius again from 50 miles to 30 miles and that is causing language deprivation which means they’re not giving my grandson a chance to grow in language. This causes severe social and mental health . Elias needs language acquisition. I am here to protect him and ASDB needs to change this policy so my grandson can grow. An Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf can only do so much because he needs full immersion in ASL, in a direct instruction of ASL in the classroom. The policy states case by case so I’m fighting that he goes to ASDB without going to the dorm because my grandson has lost many things in his life. He has a twin whom they adore each other and they need each other after their mom died from breast cancer and I cannot take Elias away from his twin brother and his family and his surrounding which will traumatize him more than ever. So change your policy so my grandson can grow and give him a chance please. Thank you | |
Submission #6
| REQUEST TO ADDRESS BOARD | |
| Select One | |
| Agenda Item | |
| Name | |
| Shari Brown | |
| Choose One | |
| Current Staff | |
| Date | |
| 03/11/2025 | |
| Subject | |
| Budget Reductions/Proposed solutions | |
| Comments | |
| I would like an opportunity to express concerns regarding some budget reduction strategies and propose possible solutions. | |